Did you know that the NFL has been using Surface tablets for over a year now to help assist coaches with the analyzation of plays? In short, coaches used to (and some still) use printers for pictures of plays so coaches, players, and other staff can look over which formations teams use throughout the game taken via cameras in the end zones and high up at midfield. Nowadays Surface 2 tablets are used in order to get the images during plays rather than after, plus the staff doesn’t have to wait for the printers to print.

The NFL is becoming the U.S.’s most high-tech sport! In fact, the partnership is growing in 2015 with new uses enabled by the Surface 3. The weather-ready Surface 3 allows coaches to display more images on-screen, use multiple colors for markups, and even has a whiteboard for jotting down ideas between plays. During the preseason, coaches will even be allowed to use their Surface 3s for video replays! On their tablet, they can zoom and even take down notes using the stylus–which can write during any weather conditions. But coaches will have to hold off until next year (maybe) to use their tablets during the games that actually count.

You might think using tablets on the sidelines is a little over the top for the NFL, but the tech frenzy doesn’t stop there. Microsoft is actually introducing the HoloLens for virtual reality training systems.

But what about the fans? Microsoft is rolling out its new version of its Xbox One NFL app, which is also making its way to Windows 10 later this month. The NFL is launching its Game Pass service, which replaces Game Rewind from last year, for $9.99 per month. Don’t worry, game stats, fantasy stats, and highlights will still be offered for free.

Perhaps the most interesting feature fans will be able to use this season is Next Gen Stats. This application uses the new motion tracker chips embedded in player uniforms for the 2015 season to track distance and speed. This will allow you to actually see the plays that each team runs!

The NFL is truly becoming a next-generation sport thanks to all of the technology that is being introduced. With coaches and teams utilizing things like the Surface Tablet, we are seeing the beginning of the future of both technology and professional sports.